Rooster – Wood – Edo – Benin

Large wooden rooster from Benin. Roosters are placed on ancestral altars commemorating the queen mothers of Benin. They stand for fowl and other animals that are sacrificed during rituals honoring royal ancestors. These explicitly male creatures acknowledge that the queen mother is different from other women and shares many powers and privileges with men. In depicting these birds, Benin  carvers indulge their love of dense overall patterns. Although stylized, these incised designs deftly suggest the rooster’s showy plumage, scaly legs, and dimpled comb. Good condition with traces of wear and tear. Large and heavy piece, total weight: 7000 gram!

Provenance: Manfred Schäfer collection, ex- gallery owner from Ulm, Germany.